The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-02-10
THAT TYPICAL AMERICAN.
Truth Stranger Than Fiction.
From the Louisville Times.

have listened to for many day is Judge
James Madison Nelson, of Nyack, n. Y.
He is native of Clarke County, Ken
lucky. His father, Thomas Pope Nelson,
was the first United States Minister to
Turkey, and died while member of
Congress from the Winchester, Kentucky,
district. His great grandfather was
Thomas Nelson, Jr., one Of the Virginia
signers Of the Declaration of lndepen-
dence. Nelson county, of which Bards-
town is the seat, was named for this
famous family. Gen. Nelson, who was
killed at the Gait House early in the
war by Gen. JEFF Davis, and bis brother,
Gen. Nelson, late Minister to Mexico, a
familiar figure in Washington, are of this
immediate family. Judge James Madi-
son Nelson went from Kentucky to Hi.
nois, and later to New York, where he
has repeatedly been member OF the
Legislature and prominent in politics.
He knew Abraham Lincoln intimately
for quarter Of q century, and was often
with him at the White House during the
trying times of the war. He is an ardent
adnnirer of the "martyr President" but
must, he says, smile at the stories told
and the efforts to manufacture q demigod.
he says Mr.. Lincoln was q child of
nature, with kindly impulses, some
streaks of genius and which compensated
for his lack of culture. The Judge tells
me some things which J. am satisfied have
never appeared in print. Said he: "In
religion Mr.. Lincoln was Of about the
same belief as Bob Ingersoll, and there is
ro account of his ever having changed.
He went to church few times with his
family while he was President, but SO
far as have been able to find out he
remained an unbeliever. I asked him
once about his fervent Thanksgiving
message, and twitted him with being an
unbeliever, in what was published. 'Ob,'
said he, sthat is some Of Seward's non.
sense, and it pleases the FOOLS Mr.. Lin.
coin, in his younger days, wrote a book,
which was published, in which he
endeavored to prove the fallacy of the
plan Of salvation and of the divinity Of
Christ.
"Is it true that Lincoln was lunatic
for a time?" I asked.
:'Yes. He went crazy because he
could not marry a sister of Judge Ninian
Edwards, who was native of Logan
county, KY, but then a Judge in Illinois.
Lincoln went stark mad on this last
affair and was confined in log hut with
roof nailed down to prevent his escape,
and fed through a crack between the logs.
Some young Kentuckians, whose fathers
had settled upon the rich lands of South
ern Illinois, heard that young man
from their State was shut up under such
miserable conditions, aud they went up
to the lonely cabin and took him to Ken
lucky, where he was placed in an asylum
aud remained for q year or eighteen
months. He afterwards married Miss
Todd, Judge Edwards sister .iD-law, you
will remember. 1t was an ill.starred
.match, and she led him an unhappy life.
It was that which gave him that woe.
begone look. Congenially mated he
would have been one of the happiest of
men. His wife fused and quarreled
with hin. She had contempt for his
plebian origin, and often taunted him
with it. She was more rabid Republi-
can during the war than her husband,
though she was doubted at the North.
GAS an illustration of my statement
her youngest sister, Lucy, had married
an Alabamian named White. White
was elected to the Confederate Congress
and was al Richmond. His wife was
visiting relatives in the country at the
time and came to Washington to get q
pass through the lines. She called at
the White House ard sent her name to
her sister, the Presidents wife. Mrs.
Lincoln refused to see her. She sent her
name up again and was again refused.
She went to the National Hotel and
sought Mr.. Crittenden, who was then a
Senator from Kentucky, Why said he,
ARE you daughter ofmy o!d friend, Col.
TODD p aud be hugged and kissed her
there and then as he would a child. 'Of
course said he, you have been to see
your sister at the White House 2
"'Yes,' she replied !; but she refused to
see me-
a'Very WE'LL said Mr.. Crittendeu; 4
will see what I can do for you with the
President. think I can get you pass
through the lines to your husband The
next day Mr.. Crittenden went with her
to the White House and, leaving her in
the carriage, he went up to the Presi-
dents presence and told him that his
sister-in. law, Mrs. Lucy White, of Ala
bama, was below and wanted to see him.
"'What, Lou here'I III go right down
too see her. Why didn't you bring her
lincoln suddenly slapped on his old
slough hat and hasteued down the stairs
to see his youngest sister-in.law. He
embraced her and lifted her out of the
carriage. He asked her to come in, but
she declined and told him what her sister
had done the day before She would
not go in, for she told Mr.. Lincoln what
he would catch if she did. Lincoln told
her, of course, he would issue her the
pass she wanted, and told her, jokingly,
that he did not care how much quinine
she carried through, and that her trunk
should not be searched. You know there
was then great to do about the SNUG